We can never truly leave
by Elysium1996
Summary: The next chapter after Serenity. Why did Inara leave the central planets.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hi all this is my 1st Firefly fic. This story is what happens a few months after Serenity. I may not put any Chinese in because I would probably screw it up but I will try. I do want to say that this is going to take me some to write so updates on chapter will be slow. I have a feeling it's gonna be some hard work getting the tone and dialog just right.

As usual I own nothing that is Firefly. I just get tales spinning in my head and hope to do the man who truly owns them a glimmer of something decent.

Thanks for reading.

Inara was lying in her bed dreaming of her and Mal. It was a simple dream. They were sitting side-by-side eating and apple together just watching the sky. He would cut a piece of the apple and hand her it and then cut himself a piece. It was a recurring dream that she had been having but it was always the same. The two of them just sitting but this time the dream felt different. She felt like a malevolent presence was watching them. She went to take another piece of apple from Mal when she looked at his hand it was covered in blood. She then looked at Mal and he had blood running down his temple. She looked at her own hands covered in blood and started to scream.

She awoke from the dream panting and perspiring with dread. She thought to herself it was only a dream then she heard.

"Hello Inara"

She looked wildly around the room and saw at the foot of her bed sat a woman. She held an energy weapon in her hand. Inara could only see her eyes in the darkness but she knew who it was.

Trembling Inara said, "Leandra"

"Yes. It's me."

Inara said in a small voice "They finally decided to kill me?"

The woman calmly replied, "Yes they have."

"Why now?"

"They know you were involved in the whole Miranda incident and think you may betray them."

"They sent you."

Leandra shook her head, "No."

"Why are you here then? If not to kill me."

Leandra watched Inara for a moment before speaking. She finally said, "I intercepted the call that you are code black now and came to warn you. Also to try to protect you."

"I see."

Both women looked over at the shuttle door as it flew open. Mal and Zoe came charging threw pistols ready to shoot.

Without even blinking the strange woman whipped out a second pistol and pointed one at Mal and the other at Zoe.

She said to Inara without taking her eyes off of her, "Tell your friends to back off or the'll be deader then a flower out in the snow."

Inara slowly rose out of her bed to stand between Leandra and them.

"Mal lower you guns. We can trust her."

His eyes darted back and forth between the woman and Inara.

Zoe said, "I've got your back Captain. Whatever you decide."

Inara put her hand on Mal's arm, "Please."

Mal lowered his weapon but kept a way eye on the woman. His eyes flick towards Inara and said, "Alright then Inara but you best be telling me why there is a strange armed who woman who put Jayne to shame."

River walked in the shuttle and looked all around she turned her eyes to the captain and said, "Told ya there was so one was here."


	2. Like me but not

A/N: Does anyone know of a site that I can find some Chinese phrases to use and if anyone interested in beta that would be great too. THANKS

They crew of Serenity sat around their dinning table. Mal figured the whole crew needed to be up for this tale. Inara had made tea to help relax everyone in Leandra's presence. But it didn't really help.

River kept watching the woman.

Mal cleared his throat and said, "Well are one of you goram woman gonna talk or what?"

Leandra turned her eyes towards Reynolds. He watched as she coolly appraised him for the second time. He felt a bit naked the way she was looking at him. She said, "Do you want me to tell it? Cause it isn't really my story."

Inara spoke, "Tell them as much as you think they should know."

No one spoke. They looked at each other. Finally River said, "Leandra Greek meaning lion woman. Eyes strip you down to bone and see everything. Estimated age in mid twenties. Reflexes .08 seconds slower then mine. Calculate risk high. Like me but not."

All eyes turned to Leandra and looked at her with a mix of interest and fear because of River's cryptic statement.

Leandra looks at River with compassion. "Yes little one like you but not."

Leandra and Inara's eye met something passed between the two women. Inara finally said, "She's my father's daughter."

Kaylee piped, "Doesn't make that make her your sister?"

Leandra simply said, "Yes, yes it does."

Mal snarled, "Will you two knock off the drama and get on with explaining why there was a strange and well armed woman in your shuttle."

Leandra replied, "My, my aren't we an impatient man." She gave a raise eyebrow to Inara. "Well the short story is that we are half sisters and we both trained with the Guild. One in the art of love and the other in the art of death."

Zoe spoke with outrage in her voice, "An assassin."

Leandra flicked her eyes towards the female warrior, "Yes but not so much in the last five years."

Mal jumped up from the table and pointed a gun at her, "You're here to kill Inara! Well hell if I'm gonna let you."

River said, "No not here to kill but to save."

Inara said quietly, "Mal put the gun down. If she was here to kill me it would be done."

Simon quietly said, "What I want to know is what you mean that you are like River."

Leandra smiled fiercely, "Let's just say that I'm the prototype for who and what your sister is but where she can read your mind I can just break it."


	3. Neutral Exile

Simon eyes filled with a spark of realization. He said, "What do you mean prototype?"

Leandra's eyes flicked towards Simon and back to River.

River said, "They decided that they couldn't wait for scratch cakes to be done so they started with store bought ones instead."

Jayne looked all manner of puzzled, "What's that suppose to mean?"

Simon quietly said, "She means that Leandra was genetically engineered. Her make up was manipulated before birth. Am I right?" She nodded at Simon. He continued talking. "But they didn't want to wait for results so they started with children who were already gifted and manipulated their brains."

Kaylee gasped, "On my god does that mean Inara you've been messed with too."

Inara put her hand on Kaylee hand. "No Kaylee. Just Lea."

Mal muttered, "Gorem government always putting their noses and claws into places that they shouldn't."

Zoe spoke, "Ok but that doesn't explain why you are here."

Leandra replied, "I'm here cause there is a hit out on Inara."

Mal raised an eyebrow; "The guild put a hit out on you Inara? Why is that?"

She replied in a cold voice, "Let's just say that I know things that people don't want to get out. Unfortunately part of the guild thinks that the Miranda events will prompt me to reveal my knowledge."

Kalyee said, "Is that why you took off out to the outer rims?"

"Yes partly. I was sick of the hypocrisy. The Guild is changing. Once a wonderful place for woman now is becoming something twisted." Inara looked at her younger sister, "Even made Lea go neutral."

Mal replied, "You gonna explain what that means? Neutral?"

"It means that I no longer 'work' for the guild. I put myself in exile. They can't give me orders, can't hurt me since I have safety nets in place but it means I must remain neutral in whatever decisions the Guild makes. Or my life is forfeit."

Zoe spoke, "So that means since you're throwing the towel in with Inara you'll be a target too.'

"Yes it does."

Mal got up from the table. He put his hands on his hip. "What I want to know is other than the big secret Inara knows is what makes you think that you can protect Inara. I also want to know how you make them stop trying to kill her."

Inara quietly said, "First of all she's the best of the best. That is why the guild took her in when she was born And to answer the second question I would have to declare neutral to make them stop but I have to be in front of the Triad of the Guild to do it.'

Jayne asked, "Well that sounds easy. Why don't you just go an do that."

Zoe answered, "Cause they don't know if that is her true intentions. They'll figure it just easier to eliminate her before she can do that.

Inara nodded.

Leandra looked at Inara, "Inara. It's your choice. Do you want to declare neutral? Do you want me to protect you till I can get you in front of the Triad? You have to decide what you want?"

Inara looked at the crew and back at her sister, "I don't know." She started to get up and walk away from the table. She stopped and said, "If you throw in with me they'll no were sisters and not only will your life be forfeit your mother's will be too."

Lea started to talk but her voice was filled with grief. "Mother's now dead Inara. You're the only family I have left and I'll do whatever it takes to protect what I have."

Inara seeing the pain on her sister's face rushed over to her and took her face in her hands. "I didn't know. I am so sorry." He eyes turned to Mal, "Mal I know you would rather not get involved with this but I need you to set a course towards the central planets as far as you wish to go. After that Lea and me will go on to Sihnon. I'm going to declare neutral."


End file.
